Even the Angels Strain
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things 1 Peter 1:10-12
The Old Testament prophets believed the God of glory would appear to save His people and renew creation (Isaiah 35:1-10). The prophets could see the animal sacrifices of the ceremonial law could not make final atonement for sin (Hosea 6:6). There must be a better sacrifice, a sacrifice that only God could provide. Isaiah saw the suffering of the Servant of the Lord, whose soul would become the sin offering as the ultimate fulfilment (Isaiah 53:8-12).
The prophecies of Old Testament prophets excited their own hopes. These men yearned for clearer understanding as they sought to interpret what God was showing them. When would God’s great salvation come? They would have searched through earlier Scriptures as well as thinking carefully through their own prophetic writings. The fact they learnt the prophecies were not for their own time, (‘It was revealed to them they were not serving themselves but you’), suggests they seriously initially wondered if the events they predicted could occur in their own lifetime.
Predicting the coming Messiah (Christ) was such a strong focus of the Holy Spirit’s activity in the Old Testament that Peter describes the Spirit as ‘the Spirit of Christ.’ His speaking through the prophets to predict ‘the sufferings of Christ’ is a common theme in New Testament preaching. Yet Peter says the Holy Spirit in the prophets also predicted ‘the glories that would follow,’ meaning ‘follow’ after Christ’s sufferings. We immediately think of His resurrection, ascension and exaltation.
The same Spirit of Christ, sent from His ascended glory, now fills the apostles as they preach that the prophecies have been fulfilled. One Lord through the ages, one great plan of salvation, one revealed message, heralded by the prophets of old and now preached by the apostles – all focused on the Lordship of Christ.
Even the angels strain to see all that God the Father has done through His Son Jesus Christ.
The sweep of God’s redemption is centred in Christ.
We are privileged. We are heirs of the full message of the prophets. Any true disciple of Christ today is in a better position to understand the goal of Old Testament prophecy than the prophets themselves.
Don’t treat this lightly. Thank God for the age in which you live. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate Christ to you more and more.
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